Multicontact relays



Allg- 12, 1952 N. H. sAUNDAERs ET AL 2,606,958

MULTICQNTACT RELAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 9, 1946 Y m o @Yom l \r.\om c if@ ,N@ @Zw r v LIIIII'EIIIII'IL L IIII |||L| l /mm\ M H H H J H M Tw @w mm nu BH "un BJ\.vN/FB f E r ||I||\ @1: l

INVENToRs:

T mw; A Hm .m E 0 JBWl El DIVMA UN AHB Lo CJ All@ 12 1952 N. H. sAUNDERs ET A1. 2,606,958

MULTICONTACT RELAYS Filed May 9, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INSULATION FIG. 4'

MULTICONTACT BELAYS Filed'May 9, 1946 FIG. l5 FIGA n sheets-sheet s FIG FIG. 7

NvENToRs: NORMAN H. SAuNoERs CLAUDE J. HACKETT 15 l5 JOHN I. BELLAMY AT'oRNEY Patented ug. l2, i952 UNITED STATES PATENT lOFl'i'ICE assignors, by mesne assignments, to Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 9, 1946, serial No. 668,356

01. lis- 320) '1 Claims. 1

This invention relates to multi-contact relays.

One object is to provide an improved form of multi-contact relay which utilizes mounting space more eiiiciently than heretofore, and which permits the relays to be mounted in rows and columns with economical intermultipling between concerned contacts of relays in the same row, as well as between concerned contacts of relays in the same column.

Another object is to provide suitable means for so locating and controlling the contact-carrying members of the relays that they require a mini-- mum of adjustment Vafter assembly.

An important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement for economically multipling corresponding contacts of all relays in the same row, while permitting each relay to have a plurality of columns of contact members arranged side by side thereon to utilize the full width of the electromagnet. In carrying out this feature of the invention, a contact bank is provided at the rear of the row containing thin lateral conducting strips, with which the movable blades of the contact pairs are integrally formed, and appear in staggered relationship, whereby each column of contacts of any relay of the row is served by a separate group of bladed conducting strips interspersed with the bladed conducting strips serving the other columns of contacts.

According' to a further feature of the invention, the movable blades of any contact column are controlled by a rack resting on the armature, while the stationary blades are iixedly positioned by a rack resting on a fixed portion of the structure. Both the movable blades and the stationary blades have a biiurcate form, and the racks lie between the arms of the bifurcate portion. This construction minimizes adjustment requirements, and leaves the space between adjacent contact columns free to permit ready inspection and adjustment.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description progresses.

The accompanying drawings, comprising' Figs. 1 to 9, show the construction and arrangement of relays embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1, taken along line I-l of Fig. 2, shows a top view of the relay gang shown in full in Fig. 2.

2is a iron-t View of a section of a switchboardhaving a number of similar gangs'of multicontact relays mounted in a column, one such gang being shown in full.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the apparatus of Figs. 1y and 2.

Fig.y 4 is an enlarged view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3 as seen from the left generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 to '7 are bottom views of the three specifically diierent forms of movable-blade strips employed in the apparatus of'Figs. 1 to 4, while Figs. 5A to-'IA are en d views thereof. Y

Figs. 8 and 8A are a bottomview'and anv end view of one of the stationary-blade strips employed in the apparatus oi'- Figs. 1 lto 4.

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram showing the vertical and horizontal interconnections between contact blades of the relays.

Figs. 1 to 3s show a section of a switchboard on which the relay gangs are adapted to `be mounted. This switchboard includes a row or upright bars between which relay gangs andother associated units of apparatus may be mounted lin columns. Off these upright bars', only bars I I and I2 are shown', as switchboard construction of this type is quite common.

Between bars II and I2, any desired number of relay gangs constructed according to the invention can be mounted in a column. @ne such relay gang isl shown in full front view in Fig. 2, together with a fragmentary portion of the relay gang immediately overlying it in the column. Any such relay gang includes apparatusmounted on common plate I3, of angular construction. The vertical web of plate I3 is notched at `the ends', as shown best in Fig. 2,v to receive a pair of screws I4 through which it is attached to up'- rights il and l2.

Plate i3 is made of magnetic material to serve as a common return path for the severalY relays mounted in gang assembly thereon, In they illustrated embodiment, ten multi-contact relays I to lll comprise a gang' mounted on the common plate I3. Of these, relays 3 to 9l arev omitted from the drawings to conserve drawing space.A

Each of the ten relays comprising' a gang includes' an electromagnet I5 of the usual construction, attached at the' reartojthe vertical portion of plate I3 by a screw I6. Each relay is further provide-d with an angular armature AI-!, held pivotally in position Yby nut I8, threaded onto stud I3, which vis attachedV to mounting plate I3. l

Each of thev relays of the gang'isprovided with three columns of contact blades, B`; and C. Those for relay I are shown at I'A, Ilvand IfC; those for relay 2 are shown at 2A, 2B, and 2Q;

and those for relay I0 are shown at IIIA, H1135,v

and IUC. Y Y x The contact columns IA to IOCcomprise thirty laterally spaced columns of contact-carrying blades supported at the rear in the composite bank 22, and extending forwardly therefrom. It will be observed that electromagnets I5 are mounted along common plate I3 very nearly in contact with each other. The slight space between them is substantially that required for mass-production manufacturing tolerance. The length of the assembly is therefore dictated substantially by the electromagnets. The three columns of contact blades for any relay are mounted directly above the electromagnet thereof, and are spaced uniformly about as close together as considerations of inspection and adjustment will permit. Since the contact columns on the several relays are of uniform height, the arrangement under discussion is apparently as economical of space on the face of the switchboard as any arrangement which can be devised.

One of the major features of the invention is that multi-contact relays having their columns of contact members disposed in the disclosed space-saving arrangement are nevertheless interconnected according to the usual requirements of multi-contact relays. That is, one blade of each contact-blade pair ofany relay is connected to the corresponding blade ofeach other relay of the group, or gang. j

Contact bank z2 is attached to mounting plate I3 by fteen mounting screws 25 (one for each two columns of contact blades) which pass vertically through the bank and enter threaded openings (not shown) in plate I3. Contact bank z2 comprises a pile of transverse contact-blade strips held in place between base plate 23 and cap plate f spacing of Contact blades) has three columns of l contact blades, each column must contain ten pairs of contact blades, as is shown in Fig. e for column IA, the first column of relay I ofthe gang of ten.

Referring to Figs. 4, 8, and 8A, the top contactblade strip in bank 22 (immediately underlying cap plate 24) comprises'an insulation strip 6I having thirty contact blades on the underside thereof, clipped thereto as by bent-over tabs E5,

passing through locating notches in the front and rear edges thereof. These contact blades comprise fifteen blades 63 for the odd columns of the assembly, and fifteen blades 64 for the even columns. The blades 63 and 64 are similar except that the rear terminal extensions 66 thereof are oppositely located to provide common working spaces (one for each pair o f columns of contact blades) for the attachment, as by soldering, of vertical multipling conductors such as group VIA (Figs. 4 and 9). The thirty contact blades 53 and 61| carried underneath Ystrip 6I provide one fixed blade for each of the thirty columns of the relay gang.

The topmost contact strip BI is underlaid by three contact strips 3 I, 4|,and 5| detailed respectively in Figs. 5, 6, and '7.

Strip 3| is referred to as an A strip in that .the ten contact blades fixed therewith Yare so located along the strip as to appear only in the A columns, IA, 2A, and so forth, a single appearance along the strip for each relay; strip 4I is referred to as a B strip in that the contact blades i5 attached thereto appear only in columns, IB, 2B, and so forth; and strip 5| is referred to as a C strip in that the contact blades 56 xed therewith are solocated as to appear only in the C columns, IC, 2C, and so forth. The staggered arrangement of the contact blades on these strips is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9,

Insulation strips 32, 42, and 52 are laid on and fixed with strips 3|, 5i, and 5I, respectively to keep them out of contact with each other and with the blades 53 and 54, and to hold them in alignment in the bank with respect to mounting screws 25. For example, each such insulation strip and its underlying conducting strip may be xed with each other as by being pressed together alter one or the other of the parts has been coated with a suitable adhesive material.

Holes, such as 35 in insulation strip 32, rather snugly receive the bank screws 25, while holes, such as 3ft, in the underlying conducting strip are substantially larger to avoid undesired contact with the bank screws. End lugs 33, 43, and 53 permit external connection to be made at either end of conducting strips 3|, 4|, and 5|.

Contact blades 3f: carried on strip 3| are offset downwardly to the level of the non-offset contact blades le carried by a strip All, while contact blades 56 carried by C strip 5| are offset upwardly to the said level, bringing the contact blades on the three strips overlying each other, as a level group, into horizontal alignment and in fixed uniform relationship to their immediately overlying xed blades mounted on strip 6|.

It will appear from the foregoing that the three contact blades carried by the topmost strip 6I for any one of the ten relays overlie, respectively, a contact blade 33 secured to strip 3|, a contact blade l5 secured to strip 4I, and a contact blade 55 secured to a strip 5I, whereby closure of the topmost contact pair of each of the three columns of any one of the ten relays closes three separate circuit connections not multipled with each other, while closure of the corresponding contacts of any other relay connects the same horizontal strips 3|, ill, and 5I to such conductors as are attached to the cooperating stationary contacts thereof, fixed with the uppermost strip 6I.

The described arrangement, including the uppermost xed-blade strip 6I and the immediately underlying movable-blade strips 3|, 4I, and 5|, provides the three uppermost contact points for each of the ten relays. This arrangement is repeated below for each of the remaining nine contact points in any column of any relay in the gang. The lowermost contact strip 5I in the bank is underlaid by an insulating strip to keep it out of contact with base plate 23.

Preferably, each of the stationary blades 63 and fl, and each of the movable blades 36, 46 and 56, is so preformed as to slope downwardly toward the front of the relay when not supported, so as to provide the required normal tension when the positioning racks are installed. That is, the contact blades shown in Fig. 4 are approximately straight merely because of the front-end support afforded by racks 26 and 2l.

Each of the thirty columns of contact blades has a movable rack 2l' (see Figs. l and 4) having a vertical body portion lying between the arms of the bifurcate forward end portion of the contact blades. Rack 2l has rearwardly extending lifting portions which underlie the movable blade, respectively. The rack is held in position by an upstanding top portion v85 and an upstanding bottom portion 84 which enter openings 31, 41, or 51 (Figs. 5 to 7) depending upon whether the rack is serving an A column, a B column, or a C column. Foot portion 83 of rack 21 provides a bearing location on the top of the concerned armature I1, directly underneath the point at which the movable blades are lifted.

The rack 21 is prevented from rotating substantially about itsv own axis by being conned between the arms of the movable blades through which it passes.

Each of the thirty columns of contact blades is provided with a stationary rack 26 for supporting the forward end of the fixed blade 63 or 64 in fixed relationship to mounting plate I3. Rack 2S is generally similar to rack 21 except that it has a foot portion 13 appropriately longer than the foot portion 83, and is made from material having approximately twice the thickness of the material from which rack 21 was made.

As seen best in Figs. 1, 2, 4, each armature I1 is cut away at I1A, IIB, and I1C to accommodate the foot portion 13 of the three associated stationary racks 26.

The reason for the greater thickness of fixed racks 26 is that the bifurcations in both the movable-contact blades and the fixed-contact blades must be wide enough to permit rack 21 to be inserted first, followed by rack 25. As is shown best in Fig. 8, each of the xed blades 63 and 64 is provided with a pair of inward extensions 1G which are far enough apart to permit rack 21 to pass between them, but are close enough together to permit both arms of the fixed blade to lie von top of the concerned support members 16 ilxed with rack '26. This construction of racks and contact blades permits the contact bank and attacher blades to be completely assembled without racks and 21, followed by the successive insertions of movable racks 21 and fixed racks 26. Since these racks can be inserted with the assembly otherwise intact, it is obviously unnecessary to take the assembly apart to replace any rack 26 or 21 rwhich may become broken or otherwise defective.

After the assembly of Figs.- l to 4 is installed between upright bars II and I2, along with the associated assemblies in the same column, and in adjoining columns if desired, external connections can be made to the horizontal conductors represented by horizontal conducting strips SI, 4I, and 5I, through terminal lugs 33, 43, and 53 on either end thereof.

The stationary blades of the relays of the several installed relay gangs in the same column may next be suitably connected, in multiple through vertical conductors such as groups VI, V2, and VI El of Fig. 9, comprising ten groups such as VIA of Fig. 4, there being one such group of ten vertical conductors for each of the thirty contact columns carried by any assembly. These vertical conductors can be conveniently attached to the staggered side lugs 68 (see Fig. 1 and 8) and may comprise bare wires soldered thereto.

Finally, external conductors may be joined, as desired, to the rear terminal tabs 61 of one or more of the relay gangs multiply connected in the same column. l

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that each electromagnet I5 assigned to an odd-numbered relay on the assembly has a pair of coil terminals 20 so located as to underlie the first and second columns of rear terminal arms 66 of such relay, whereby the vertical bare wires (such as VIA, Fig. 4) do not come into contact therewith, while each electromagnet assigned to an even-numbered relay has its coil terminals 2| located in a different position thereon, so as to underlie the first and second columns of rearwardly extending members 66 in their different location with respect to the even-numbered relays.

Operation When, for example, relay I of the relay gang of Figs. 1 to 4, and 9 is to be operated,y theelectromagnet I5 thereof energized, by passing current through the winding thereof through its rear terminals 20, causing it to attract the depending portion of its armature I1. This causes the horizontal portion of the armature to rise, lifting each of its three movable racks 21 a sufficient distance to carry the associated movable blades into engagement with their respective overlying fixed blades. Preferably, the stroke of armature I1 is sufficient to lift rack '21 slightly higher than is necessary to make contact, causing the bifurcate arms of the movable springs to be slightly bent under the applied force. With a given thickness of material in thev movable blades, the amount of bending with the contacts engaged is directly indicative of the contact pressure applied.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the fixed blades are somewhat thicker than the movable' blades, whereby they bend less readily under the applied contact pressure. Additionally, the downward tension in the fixed-contact blades (governed by the amount of out-of-line forming as indicated in Fig. 8A) is suificient that the fixed blades `remain firmly in engagement with their rack 26 with the relay in operated condition. Operation of the relay I connects each of the 30 horizontal conductors (represented by ten sets of strips 3|, 4I, and 5I, Figs. 5 to 7, and 9) to a separate one of the thirty vertical conductors VI.

When the operated relay is to be restored, deenergization of the electromagnet I5 thereof permits its armature I1 to be returned to normal position under the iniiuence of the downwardly tensioned movable blades supported by movable racks 21.

We claim:

1. In an electrical contacting device, elongated movable conducting members disposed generally opposite each other` and generally parallel to each other in columns forming a row transverse to the members, means behind the row supporting the rear end of each member while leaving the front end thereof free to be moved, said supporting means including means maintaining any said member insulated from the adjacent said members, relatively ixed conducting members corresponding respectively to the movable members, means supporting each xed member adjacent to its corresponding movable member, the vlast said supporting means including means maintaining any said fixed conducting member insulated from any adjacent one of the said members, the columns being divided into similar successive groups of adjacent columns, superposed conducting strips extending laterally of the groups at the rear of the movable members connecting each ,movable members of any group to the corresponding movable member ofv each other group, and separate means for each group for moving the movable members thereof into and out of engagement with their respective corresponding fixed members.

2. In an electrical contacting device, pairs of contact members and means supporting them in columns forming a row containing similar successive groups of adjacent columns, said supporting means including means for insulating each contact member from each adjacent contact member, superposed conducting strips, extending laterally between the groups, connecting one member of each pair of any group to the corresponding member of each other group, and separate means for each group of columns for closing and opening the pairs of contact members thereof.

3. In an electrical contacting device, pairs of contact members and means supporting them in a row containing similar successive groups of adjacent pairs, said supporting means including means for insulating each contact member from each adjacent contact member, superposed conducting strips extending along the row corresponding respectively to the pairs of contact members in any group, each such strip being joined directly to one contactvmember of each pair to which it corresponds, and separate means for each group for opening and closing the respective pairs of contact members thereof.

4. In an electrical contacting device, pairs of contact members and means supporting them in rows and columns intersecting each other, the columns comprising similar groups of adjacent columns, said supporting means including means for insulating each contact member from each adjacent contact member, superposed groups of conducting strips extending along the rows and corresponding respectively thereto, the strips in any group of strips corresponding respectively to the pairs of contacts disposed in the corresponding row in any said group of columns, each such strip being connected directly to one contact member of each pair to which it corresponds, and separate means for each group of columns for opening and closing the respective pairs of contact members thereof.

5. In a gang of multi-contact relays, a mounting plate, relays including respective operating elements mounted in a row on one side of the plate closely adjacent to each other, pairs of contact members and means mounting them on the opposite side of the plate in rows extending along the row of relays and in columns intersecting such rows, similar groups of such columns appearing opposite the operating elements respectively and forming a part of the respective relays, said operating elements comprising independent electrically controlled means for opening and closing the pairs of contact members of their respective relays, conducting strips included in the means for mounting the contact pairs, such strips corresponding respectively to the contact pairs of any relay, each strip being joined electrically to one contact of the pair to which it corresponds in each relay, and insulating means included in said mounting means and interspersed between the conducting strips to maintain each contact member insulated from. each other contact member to which it is not connected by a said conducting strip.

6. A contact bank built up of similar successive groups of flat strips laid upon each other and fastened together, each said group of strips including an insulating strip having a row of individual transverse contact elements fixed overlappingly therewith comprising similar groups of contact elements succeeding each other along the strip, each such element having a terminal portion extending rearwardly from the bank and a contact portion extending forwardly from the' bank, each said group of strips including conducting strips corresponding respectively to the individual contact elements in any said group thereof, each conducting strip having multipled contact members iixed thereto and extending forwardly therefrom into operative relationshipy to the respective corresponding individual contact elements carried by the said insulating strip of its group of strips, the said contact members fixed with any said conducting strip being equal in number to the number of said groups of individual elements on a strip thereof, the contact members on the conducting strips in any said group of strips being staggered in location from strip to strip in accordance with the different correspondence at the conducting strips to the individual contact elements along a strip thereof, and insulating separator strips interspersed with the foregoing strips for maintaining the conducting strips insulated from each other and from the individual members carried by the insulating strips.

7. In a contact bank, superposed flat strips comprising successive groups of strips, each said group including a strip having a row of individual transverse contact elements fixed overlappingly therewith and extending forwardly from the bank, the individual members comprising similar groups of contact elements succeeding each other along the strip, each said group of strips including conducting strips corresponding respectively to the individual elements in any said group thereof on a strip, each conducting strip having multipled contact members xed thereto and extendingvforwardly therefrom into operative relationship to the respective corresponding individual elements carried by the insulating strip of its group of strips, the multipled members in any group of strips being staggered in location from strip to strip in accordance with the different correspondence of the conducting strips to the individual strips, and means included in the bank for maintaining the conducting strips insulated from each other and from the individual members carried by the insulating strips.

NORMAN H. SAUNDERS. CLAUDE J. HACKETT. JOHN I. BELLAMY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Horlacker Mar. 14, 1950 

